I am looking forward to working with all of you to bring our vibrant Society to new heights!
Orlando Auciello
2013 MRS President
First, I’d like to thank you, our members, for granting me the honor of serving as President of this great Society! I’ve been involved with the organization since 1993, and I am continually impressed by its vibrancy and dynamism; by the dedication, enthusiasm, and long-term contributions of its volunteers and members at large; and by the exceptional work ethic and professionalism of the Materials Research Society staff.
When I began my term as Vice President, MRS was in the midst of a Strategic Meetings Initiative, which began in 2010. Planning was concluded by the Board of Directors, the Meetings Committee, and Headquarters in 2012, whose substantial efforts are very much appreciated! The purpose of that initiative was to improve the MRS meetings’ portfolio, and to further MRS’s Mission and our strategic objectives. Web capabilities and other technological advancements have opened opportunities to expand the impact of our meetings, and the MRS Meetings Committee will begin to move forward this year to utilize innovative methods of convening the materials community as well as disseminating scientific and technological information worldwide.
This year, one Society-wide priority will be students—considering how to provide them with the services they need, to engage them in MRS activities, and to facilitate a worldwide network of students. Similar to the Meetings Initiative, technological capabilities will enable MRS to impact students worldwide who are not able to attend the MRS Spring and Fall Meetings, providing them not only with excellent technical information, but with opportunities to interact virtually no matter where they are located.
Another great opportunity for student engagement is the worldwide University Chapter Program, open to students in universities everywhere. We are encouraging professors to consider working with their students to establish a chapter, and serve as their faculty advisor. MRS is actively seeking to enhance this program and better connect students from over 70 University Chapters, encouraging these young researchers to create a network of future leaders of the materials community.
The new MRS Member Engagement Committee has recently formed a task force under the Communities Subcommittee to evaluate how MRS can better serve students worldwide. Volunteers who would like to be part of this task force or have ideas to share are urged to contact Michele Feder, Manager of Volunteer Affairs, at [email protected].
Another MRS initiative is to further strong interactions between researchers from academia and national laboratories with those in industry. Promoting expanded interactions between them is crucial to the development and commercialization of new technologies of the 21st century.
I am looking forward to working with all of you to bring our vibrant Society to new heights!
Orlando Auciello
2013 MRS President
